Laundry-marking machine



C. W. CANINE.

LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1920.

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LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, I920.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

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Patented Nov. 14, 1922.4

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C. W. CANINE.

LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.24, 1920.

Patented Nov. M, 1922.

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Zlaew aid/mess C. W. CANINE.

LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, I920.

Patented Nov. M, 1922.

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Be it known that I, Cnnsran W. CANINE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have inventeda certain new and usefnl'Laundry Marking Machine, 7

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of laundry marking machines in which after the type have been set in. groups to be printed from, the type bearing wheels or discs are moved to and from printing position by mechanical power (such for instance, as an electric motor); t

The object of my invention is to provide amachineof this character of simple and durable construction. and of compact form.

' stockholder and hand e s0 arranged that the Another object of my invention is to rovide a machine of this character .in'w ich the selected type may he moved to their properly grouped positions for printing quickly and easily, and there stopped-and locked in such posltion without any shocks or jars tothe machine, to thereby produce a machine of great durability.

A further object is to provide a machine of this character in which any desired number of type charactersmay be used, and all of the type selected moved to their grouped the use. of a single lever which may, be asped in the operators one hand, and there held until all of the selections are made and the type properly grouped and locked,

85 to thereby operate with convenience for the operator and speed in selecting and locking I might result in the failure of onev or more of the type carrying wheels to properly register with the type selecting and moving so levers. 4 I Y A further object is to provide amachine of this class in which the selected group of yp o be P nt d f om ha e he r pr nting.

position for printing andthere locked, by.

process, for the purpose 0 avoiding the posv sibility of such independent movement'as faces parallelat all times with the surface of the article to be printed upon, both during the instant of printing and in their movement to and from printing position, to thereby avoid the blurringof the printing such. as is sometimes occasioned in machines of this character in which the type move toward or from printing position in directions other than with the type faces parallel with the article to beprintedupon, and also for adapting the device to work equally well. on very thin or very thick stock to be printed upon.

A further object is to provide means in a machine of this kind, in which the type wheels are moved to and from rinting position by mechanical ower, o a combined operator may grasp the article to be marked in both hands and also grasp the stockholder in both hands, securely hold and. stretch the article to be marked in its position for printing, which combined stockholder and handle also constitutes the means for actuating the clutch for throwing the power operating mechanism into operation,- wherebythe manual operations .incident to printing upon articles of varyin characteristicsis greatlysimplified, and w ereby it is not ,nec/essa for the operator to coordinate l the various and and foot movements duringthe act of printing, but need only progressively withboth hands grasp the article to be printed, then grasp the two handles and then press the handles.

A further object is to provide an improved stock-holder, type shield and finger guard of simple construction and so arranged that it may be readily grasped and held by the operator, which wil protect the article to be rinted upon from coming in contact with the type adjacent to the selected group being printed from, and will also prevent the operators fingers from coming i betweenthe type and the platen.

A further object is, to provide an improved inking'device for a machine of this character,- so arranged and constructed that it will be exposed to the air only during the instant of inking,'a-nd will be securely sealed at all other times.

,Afurther ob'ect is to provide an improved dutch device or at times eperatively com nectin the constantl moving power shaft with t e intermittent y. moving type wheels, which clutch device is so arranged that both during the time it is in operation and the of this character in which a movement of the the requirements for different kinds of work.

type wheels from their position at rest to printing position will be relatively slow at the commencement and ending of such movement, and rapid at the central part of said movement, whereby shocks and jars to the machine can be avoided.

A further object is to provide a machine of this character constructed, arranged and assembled insuch manner that the number of type wheels may be readily, quickly and p easily either increased or diminished to suit M invention consists inthe construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects co-ntemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out In my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

' which Figure 1 shows a side elevation :of a. machine embodying my invention, with the ad- Lacent side of the frame removed and parts rgiken away to show certain structural detal s.

Figure 2 shows a front elevation of my improved machine.

Figure 3 shows a rear elevation of same.

Figure 4 shows a vertical, central, longitudinal, sectional view of same.

Figure 5 shows a vertical, transverse, sectional view of same, taken on a line through the center of the type wheels.

Figure 6 shows a detail, sectional view of the type selecting and moving lever and adjacent parts. 7

Figure 7 shows a top or Ian view of the type wheels and the means or'locking them k tion.

Figure 8 shows a vertical, transverse, section'al view, taken on a line through the clutch shaft to illustrate the clutch actuatmg mechanism. igurell shows a detail'yiew illustrating the cam and stop device carried by one of the driving wheels on the clutch shaft.

F gure 10 shows a detail, sideview illustrating the supporting means for the inking device. The dotted llnes show the position of the parts when moved to position for ink:

in Figurell shows a vertical, longitudinal, sectional ew hrough the inking device eaters with the inking roller in position for inking the selected group of type.

Figure 12 shows a detail, rear elevation of the pawl devices for successively movin the t pe carrying means laterally and for olding them in such positions, and

Figure 13 shows a detail View of the pawl for movin the type'carryin wheels laterally, and t e spring for hol mg it in position in engagement with the rack.

Referring to the .accompanyin drawin s, l have used the reference numera 10 to in icate the base of theframe. It will be noted that this base is made out two parts divided along the longitudinal center, the parts being connected by bolts 11,;as shown in Figure 1. The various standards and supports for the operative parts of the machine are referably formed integral with and extendmg upwardly from these base members, and they are all arranged .in pairs, one member ofeach pair being on one base member. This feature is of material advantage in a machine ofthis charactembecause it makes for ease in assemblingand at the same time the base members may be readily and 'easily' separated and held suitably spaced apart to thereby make a machine of varying widths so that more or less type wheels may be provided in the machine, to suit the requirements of use.

Near the rear end vof the machine frame are the standards 12, in whichthe clutch shaft 13 is rotatabl mounted. Onone of these standards is a caring 14 for the power shaft 15, which power shaft has at its rear end a pulley 16 and on its forward end a worm gear 17,, the latter being in mesh with a worm pinion 18 loosely. mounted on the clutch shaft .13. On the ends of the clutch shaftlB outside of the standards 12 are the drive wheels 19 hereinafter more fully described, which drive wheels are pinned to the shaft. Adjacent to the inner ends of the standards 12 are the collars 20 which are pinned to the shaft 13; Between these two collars the clutch mechanism is arranged. One of the clutch members, indicated by the numeral 21, is preferably formed. integral with the worm pinion 18 and is loose. upon the shai't13, and the otheror coacting clutch member 22 is keyed to the shaft 13 so that it has. a limited sliding movement thereon and is held against rotation'relative to the shaft. An extensible coil spring 23 is inserted between the clutch member 22 and the adjacent collar 20.

For sliding the movable clutch member 22 I have provided a lever 24 pivoted to the bracket 25 and provided with suitable fin; gers 26 entering the groove in the hub of the clutch member 22. F ulcrumed to the lever 24 is a trigger device 27 supplied at one end with a spring 28 to normally hold saidiend nwar y, d havi it w et an P jected through thestandard 12 toward the adjacent driving wheel 19. A lever 29, which will be hereinafter more fully described, is arranged adjacent to the trigger .device 27, and when the lever 29 is moved upwardly the. end of the trigger adjacent the drive wheel19 is moved downwardly, as

, shown b dotted lines in Figure 8. The said drive w eel 19 is provided on its peripherywith a cam and stop device 30. This cam and stop device coacts with the trigger demove the clutch. member 22 'into operative engagement with the clutch member 21, and

the clutch shaft 13 is then rotated, thus causing the drive wheel 19. to turn one revolution. The spring 28 returns the trigger device to the position shown by the solid lines in Figure 8, and when the cam 30 again comes around to a point adjacent to the trigger 27 its cam surface will engage said trigger and move it bodily toward the right (as shown in Figure 8), thus causing the lever 24 to compress the spring 23 and release the So long as the tri ger 27 is held in the position shown by otted lines in Figure 8, the drive wheels will continue to rotate, but when the trigger device is released the drive wheels will be stoppedand held at that poi'nt of their movement where the cam 30 engages the trigger. In this connection, attention is called to the fact that by arran 'ng the clutch members 21 and" 22, including the spring 23, between the fixed collars on the shaft 13, all lateral strain upon the shaft bearings is avoided, because when the clutches are out of engagement the shaft 13 is stationary and there is'no friction. However, when the clutch members are in engagement, then all lateral pressure caused by the spring is thrown upon the two collars 20 which are pinned to the shaft and rotate with the shaft.

Connected with the two drive wheels 19 are two pitmans 31 through which motion is transmitted to the type wheels to actuate them for printin purposes. Attention is called to the fact t at these pitmans are connected to the drive wheels 19 at points substantially at right angles to the cam 30, as shown in Figure 8, so that when the drive wheels 19 are at rest the pitmans will be substantiall on dead center so that the initial part 0 the longitudinal movement of the pitmans will be very slow, for purposes hereinafter made clear. At the forward end of the machine base s't P n g p aten 5 and adjacent to it is the combined stockholder, handle and finger guard which comprises two parallel arms 33 fulcrumed on the supports 34, one

of them having the rearwardly extending member or lever 29, which is the lever that actuates the trigger device 27 before described. Secured to the ends of these arms 33 is a plate 35 having a slotted opening 36- therein, designed to receive the platen 32, which platen when the parts are in printing position, projects through the slot 36. At

the sides of the plate 35 are the upwardly extending finger guards 37, and on the outer surfaces thereof are the handles 38. On the base below the handles 38 are two guide plates 39 for holding the stock to be printed in position above the platen so as to prevent the stock from coming into frictional contact with and sticking upon the platen. These plates have a limited vertical movement which is attained by having the'screvvs 39 extended through the slots 39.' The upper ends of. the plates 39,.are connected by pins 39 with therubber platen, thus permitting the plates to yield downwardly when the platen is compressed. The com- I bined stockholder, handle and finger guard is normally held yieldingly in a position slightly elevated above the platen by means of the spring 28.

In practical use with this part of the device, the operator first grasps the article to be marked in both hands, one hand being adj acent to each side of the part of the article on which the mark is to be made. Then the operator moves the article, while still being held in both hands, to position for projecting part ofthe article to be marked between the stockholder and platen, and he then grasps the handles 38 in both hands without releasing the grip upon the article to be marked. Then while still grasping both the article and .the handles in both hands, he simply presses downwardly upon the handles, thus bringing the platen up through the slot in the stockholder and tripping the power operated printing mechamsm. Obviously all of this operation may be done very quickly and easily, and at all times the operator retains very accurate control of that part of the article to be marked so that he' may readily keep it stretched across the platen. In practice an operator very readlly and quickly learns tomark laundry articles very rapidly and accurately because of thefact that all of the various somewhat intricate movements upon the article to be marked in order to throw a trip lever by hand, errors and delays can easily occur. This is also true where in order to trip the printing mechanism it is necessary for the operator todo part of the work with his hands and part with his feet. With my improvement an operator very quickly learns to coordinate these various movements in such'a manner as to do perfect printing and withoutloss of time.

The type wheel carrying frame and the inking mechanism are both supported upon the forward end of the machine and their movement is actuated by the pitmans 31 connected with the drive wheels 19. The type wheel carrying frame is indicated generally by the reference numeral 40, best shown in Figure 5, and is rotatably mounted upon a shaft ll. This shaft is supported between the upper ends of the levers 62, which levers in turn are pivoted to the up right standards t3 on the machine base by means of the pivot bolts 4a. In order to keep the frame 40 exactly in the same plane throughout all parts of its movement, I have provided the levers 4C5 pivoted at their upper ends to the rear part of the frame 4=0 by the pivot bolts 46, and their central portlons to the tops of the standards 43 at at, andthe lower ends to the inking device by the pivot bolts 48. The two levers on each side of the frame that supports the t pe bearing frame, are parallel, as clearly s own in Figure 1, and by this arrangement the bottom of the frame 40 is maintained in a horizontal position throughout its entire movement, so that the printing faces of the type will at all times stand parallel with the top surface of the platen, as hereinafter more fully, pointed out.

The type wheels proper are each preferably composed of a disc 49 havlnga large openin in the center, and these d1scsare rotatab y mounted upon the hub 50 which is mounted on the bolt ll. Each type hearing wheel is independently movable upon its hub, and it contains upon its periphery a series of type 51 with notches 52 between the type. On the periphery of each type bearing wheel is a raised portion 53, shown in Figure 4, and having a shoulder at 54, a cam at 55 and a notch at 56.

In order to provide for selecting types to be printed from and move them into grouped position for printing purposes and locking them in printing positioml have provided the following mechanism.

Rotatably mounted upon the pivot bolt 41 is a forked lever 57 having a handle extension 58 on which the handle 59 is formed.

This lever is provided near its central pore tion with a horizontally arranged body por tion 60, in which is slidingly mounted a rack r 62- 'lh a rack. bar has two downwardly neaaave extended arms 62, for purposes hereinafter made clear. Mounted on the said body portion 60 is a spring actuated detent or holder 63 desied to engage the rack 62 and hold it against movement in one direction. This detent 63 is provided at its forward end with an inclined or cam face 64 designed when the lever 58 is moved to its forward limit to engage a stationary cross piece 65 on the frame ment being limited by the screw 68 in the 1 slot 69. A. spring 70 is provided in the handle 56 to normally hold vthe thumb pressed bar to its limit of movement away from the handle 59. 0n the lower end of the bar 67 is a hook 71, designed to slidingly receive a pawl 72. This pawl is fulcrumed in line with the detent 63 and is normally held downwardly iii-engagement with the rack by a spring. 73,shown in Figures 12 and 13, which spring is connected to the detent 63 as shown in Figure 12. By this arrangement it is obvious that when the thumb pressed bar 67 is moved toward the handle 56,the pawl 72 moves the rack 62 one tooth space toward the right, as shown in Figure 6, and then as the bar 67 moves toward the left the said pawl 72 will ride over the ad jacent tooth of the rack bar and engage another tooth. Obviously by this arrangement the operator may grasp the handle 56 in his hand and place his thumb upon the bar 67, and then by moving the thumb the rack bar 62 may be advanced one tooth space at a time toward the right, as shown in Figure 6, and the rack bar will be there held in each position as it is advanced, by the spring actuated detent 63.

In a device of this character it is important that each of the typebeari'ng wheels be capable of independent movement so that the types thereon may be grouped as desired, and at the same time, it is important that these separate type bearing wheels be at all times held and locked against movement relative to each other except during the time that the selected type is being moved to grouped position. For this purpose I have provided a sliding frame or' yoke, most clearly shown in Fi prises two sides 7 at arched upwardly at their central portions at 75, and two tubular end pieces 76, the latter being slidingly mounted onsuitable rods 77 in the ends of the'frame 40, the entire yoke being. capable of free lateral movement on the rods 77. Fixed to the end of this yoke is a key 78 designed to enter the notches 52 between the types, and carried by the rack bar 62 is a corresponding are re 7. This yoke comkey 79. The key 78, as will be seen in Fig ure 7, extends from the left side of the oke toward the right, and the key 79, as wi be seen in Figure 6, extends from the right side of the rack toward the left. The relative arrangement of these two keys is such that as the key 79 is moved out of the notch 52 ofone type wheel, the coacting key 7 8 is moved into one of the notches of the same type hearing wheel, the rack 62 and the said yoke being moved laterally in unison because of the fact that the rack bar 62 is provided with slotted downwardly projecting arms 62 that receive the sides of the yoke in their slots. By this arrangement it will be readily seen that all of the type bearing. wheels are at all times locked either to the key 79 or the key 78, and hence independent movement of the type wheels relative to each other, except as moved bythe key 79, is positively prevented. A spring 81 is provided for normally holding the rack 62 to its limit of movement toward the left, as shown-in Figure 5.

Mounted on top of the frame 40 is a curved plate 82 having a slot therein through which the lever 58 projects, and having at the right of the slot, as shown in Figure 2, a plate 84 containing characters such, for instance as alphabetical letters and numerals. These characters are arranged in rows circumferentially of the plate, and also laterally. The first row of characters to the left, as shown in Figure'2, contains the same'characters as are found upon the first type wheel to the left. The second row of characters on the plate contains the characters found upon the second type wheel, and the third contains the numerals corresponding to the numerals contained on the third type wheel. In the structure shown there are only three of these rows of characters on the plate 84, whereas there are seven type wheels shown. It is to be understood that the remaining four of the type Wheels at the right of the group of type wheels all contain the same characters arrangedv in the same way as are contained 'onthe third type Wheel from the left, as shown in Figure 2.

The notches 83 are arranged adjacent to a lug 85 on the bar 67, and the arrangement of the notches is such that each notch is directly'opposite one of the laterally arranged rows of characters on the plate 84.

The operation of this part of the mechanisn is as follows:

Assume that the character to be set up and printed is as follows: AW2, and assuming further that the yoke. 7 1 is at the left end of its movement. When inthis position the key 78 willbe out of engagement with all of the type wheels. The rack bar 62 will i also be at the left end of its movement, and

its key 79 will be in engagement with all of the handle 59 and the bar 67 and moves them until the pointer .86 on the art 58 stands adj acent'to the letter A on the plate 84:.

Assuming that all of the type wheels are in their normal position, then obviously the key 7 9 of the rack bar will be released from the first type wheel to the left and the key 78 of the yoke will be locked to the first type wheel to the left. The operator then moves the handle to position with its pointer adjacent to the letter W on the type plate 84, and again presses the bar 67 with his thumb. observed that the key 79 of the rack bar has been all of the time in engagement with the slots 56 of all of the type wheels except the first one to the left, from which it had been withdrawn when the first type wheel to the left had been fixed to printing position. However, when the bar 67 was pressed, then the second wheel from the left was released from its engagement with the key. 79 and was locked in its grouped printin position relative to the first type wheel to t eleft, by means of the key 78. Then the operator moves the part 58 to position with itspointer uring this movement it will be adjacent to the numeral 2 and again presses I the bar 67, thus releasingthe key 79 from its engagement with the notch 56 and throwing the key 78 into engagement with the notch in the third-type wheel from the left. This operation has brought the first three type wheels from the left in such position that the characters AW2 are arranged on these three type wheels in line with'each other at the bottom of the type wheels, and there locked in this position. If the handle 59 is then moved to its rearward limit, all of the remaining type wheels are moved to position thereby, with the blank spaces thereon adjacent to the three selected and locked type, and the device is then readydetent 63 and also the cam face of the pawl 72, to engage the bar 65 and thus throw both the detents and the pawl out of engagement with the rack bar, whereupon the spring 81 movesthe rack bar 62, together with the oke 74, to its limit of movement to the le t, and then when the handle 59 is being moved to the rear, the key 79 of the rack bar 62 will enter the notches 56 of all of the type wheels and move them all back to position in line with each other, with the shoulders 54.0f the type wheels in engagement with a stop 87- to the right of the key 78 (as shown in Figure 7), whereup'a new setof characters.

the type wheels. The operator then grasps -.Itis to be understood in this connection secure any type from either the first or any other specified one of the type wheels.

M improved inking device comprises a com i ned body and ink'container, indicated generally lo the reference numeral 88. lit 18 supports at its rear end upon the levers connected with pivot pins at, as vheretofore'descrihed, and it is also suppormd at its forward end upon the levers 42 by heing-connecteolwith thepivot pins 89 on the lower ends of said levers 4:2. The connection between the frame that carries the type bearing wheels and the ink receptacle,

' is arranged to operate on the arallel ruler principle, so that both the 1 type bearing wheels and the bodyof the ink receptacle are kept 1n parallel planes throughout their entire movement: In this connection, 1 have formed the ink recap- I tacle of somewhat thick and heavy material this part of my improved machine is that when the type bearing frame is in one 1 position, as shown in Figure 1,. it is bodily withdrawn upwardly and rearwardly through a considerable" extent, from the printing platen, so that the platen and the adjacent parts are clearly exposed to the operators view, and when the type bearing wheels move to printing ositlon they move forwardly and downwar ly to the posit on shown in Figure 11.

The ink well is provided with the filler opening 90 covered by a plu '91, and with a clean-out opening 92 close by the screw On the interior of the ink receptacle Pivotally supported within feeding pad 941 by means of the set screw 96.

ll provide for rockin the ink feedin pad as follows: Fivote to the lower on of one of the'levers 45,.is a link 98 connected to an arm'99 on vthe shaft .95 of the ink feeding pad, as clearly shown in Figure 10. In this figure the movement of the ink receptacle is shown by dotted lines, and these dotted lines indicate how the shaft 95 is rocked during its movement. In Figure 4: the ink feeding pad is shown at one limit I of the neonate wardly and forwardly, and when its for ward end is moved upwardly the excessive ink will be squeezed from the pad .b the roller 96. Thenthe inking pad wit the proper amount of ink on its surface, will engage the type inking roller and rotate it and transmit the proper quantity of to its surface.

T have provided for sealing theink receptacle at all times except during the instant when the inking roller is in contact with the type to he inked, as follows: Fivoted to the sides of the ink receptacle near the forward end thereof, are the arms 100, which arms connect at their upper ends with a rod 101. Uni this rod 101 l have mounted an ink sealing cover 102, preferably having a, rubber face 103 on its upper surface, de-

signed to fit tightly against the edges surrounding'the opening in the upper forward corner-of the ink receptacle, A spring 1041- isprovided for normally holding the cover a in its closed position. for the purpose of having 1t exactly counterbalance the weight of the type wheel dee vice. One of the advantageous features of through the shaft and through a slot 108 in the lever'106. This lever is provided near its rear end'with an outwar 1y projecting in 109, which pin is designed to be engaged y and to cooperate wit a pin 110 on the adjacent pitman 31. Fixed to the shaft 105 on the interior of the ink receptacle are two arms 111, and these arms extend forwardly and are provided with rounded forward ends 112 designed to 1 engage the sealing eferring to cover 102, so-that when the arms are moved forwardly and upwardly the sealing cover is raised. Carried by these arms 111 are two levers 113 pivoted to the arms 111 at 114. These levers113 carry at their forward ends the inking roller 97. At the rear end of the levers 113' is a spring 115 fixed at its rear end and extended forwardly through an opening in the rear of the lever 113. When the arms 111 are moved upwardly, as shownin Figure 11, this spring 115 tends to yieldingly hold the inking roller 97 upwardly into engagement with the type.

The arrangement of the two pins 109 and is best illustrated in Figure 1, and its operation is as follows: During that part of the movement when the inking device is moving downwardly and forwardly, the pin 110 onthe pit'man 31 will engage the pin 109 on the lever 106, but on account of'the limited pivotal movement of the lever 106 on the shaft 105, this lever is moved upwardl to permit the pin 109m under it wit out rocking the shaft 105. However during the movement of the inkreceptacle rearwardly, the pin 110 strikes the top' of the in 109 and forces the lever 106 downwar y, thus rocking the shaft 105 and opening the sealing cover and at the same.

time raising the inking roller 97;. This is done at the instant when the inking device commences its rearward and upward move ment.

Carried by the frame 40 are two downwardly extending arms 116 arranged adjacent to the opposte sides of the type wheels. These arms are'provided at t eir lower ends with rounded notches 117, and

the said arms are shaped and designed to perform two functions. v

First. When the type bearing wheels have been moved to position just prior to the printing operation, these arms engage.

the upper surface of the plate 35 and press said plate downwardly firmly into contact with the plates 39, so that in the event that the article being printed on is relatively stiff, such for instance as a starched collar,

- the part thereoi being printed upon will be forced upwardly by the platen through the slot 36, and it also serves to hold both the plate 35 and the stock being printed'on firmly in position in the event that the operators fingers should not firmly hold it during the instant of printing, to thereby prevent the possibilit of blurring the mark during the instant 0 printing in the event that the oods should not be firmly and immovably eld by the operator.

The second function for these arms 116 is accomplished during the instant of inking the type. The inking roller during the operation enters the notches 117, and the lower ends of the arms on opposite sides of said notches hold the inking roller in a positive wa In practical operation the power shaft is being constantly operatedby an electric motor or other source of powen. This does not bring any excessive wear or strain upon any part of m the clutch and associated parts are so arranged and combined that there will be no in-thrust upon the bearings during such movement. The operator first selects and sets up the particular group of type desired to be printed from. This selecting and set ting up recess is accomplished by the operator wit one handonly while grasping a single lever, and. as heretofore explained,

the movements of the type wheels in select-' ing and setting them in printing position, while rapid is not such a movement as w ll cause shocks and jars to the type wheels such as is sometimes occasioned where large type .aete 0 against any possible engage-1 ment with t e two rows of type adyacent to the row being inked.

improved machine, becausebearing wheels or scents are necessarily moved rapidly. to their selected z-positions and there abruptly stopped.- During this setting up and selecting process all of the independent type bearing wheels are at all various articlesto be marked. Both hands I are free to do this, and the article'is stretched fit between the hands; and' then,- without 'changin the operators-grip upon the article, he a o grips both of the handles 38and passes the article to be marked directly over the platen. Then while still retaining his gras upon the article and thehandles he simp y presses downwardly on the handles, thus tripping the mechanism which starts the power plant and efl'ects the printing operation.

As soon as the printing is completed, the operator releases the handles and also releases the marked article and grasps another article to be marked. The power lant instantly stops when the type whee s are in their rearward elevated position, and is there held until the handles are again pressed downwardly. The printing is effeet/ed on the articles to be marked without any such blurring as is sometimes occasioned on marking machines inwhich the movement of the type relative to the platen is not at exactly right angles to the surface of the platen, for in such machines when relatively thick articles are being marked there is a sort of a wiping movement of the type toward or from the article, tending to blur the mark, whereas with my improved device it makes no difierence how thick the article'is, because the movement of the type toward and from it is exactly at right angles to the platen. During the movement of the type toward printing position and back, therev are no shocks or ars to the machine, because such'movements start with the pitmans on dead center and when the impression is being made the p'itmans are again on dead center, so that the movement of the type 'is very slow at the start and also at the moment of making the impression and is rapid at other times. The entire structure has comparatively few parts and all of its operations are made without shock or jar to the working parts, thereby providing a machine of great durability.

I claim as my invention:

1. In ajprmting device, the combination mounted in said frame, a lever, means associated with and carried by the lever, for

till

engaging the type wheels and moving them in unison with the lever to printing position relative to the frame, and means as sociated with and carried by the same lever for successively releasing the type wheels from the'lever so that the lever may be operated without moving the last released type wheel.

2. In a printing device, the combination of a frame, a series of type bearing wheels mounted in said frame, a lever, means associated with and carried by the lever, for engaging the type wheels and moving them in unison with the lever to printing position relative to the frame means associated with and carried by the same lever for successively releasing the type wheels from the lever so that the lever may be operated without moving the last released type wheel, and means operated by the said type wheel releasing means for lochng the last released type wheel to the frame.

3. In a printing device, the combination of a frame, a series of type bearing wheels mounted in said frame, a lever, means associated with and carried by the lever, for engaging the type wheels and movingthem in unison with the lever to printing osition relative to the frame, means associated with and carried by the same lever for successively releasing the type wheels from the lever so that the lever may be operated without moving the last released type wheel,

means operated by the said. type wheel releasing means for locking the last released type wheel to the frame, and means for automatically releasing all of the type wheels from the means for looking them to the frame, said means being automatically actu-.

ated by a movement of said lever to one limit of its movement. I

4. Tn a printing device, the combination of a frame, a series of type wheels mounted for rotation within the frame, each type wheel being provided with an extension outwardly from its periphery, and each extension being provided with a notch, a lever, a

releasing bar associated with the lever andmovable in unison with it, said releasing bar being capable of entering the .notches in said extensions,'means for moving said releasing bar progressively through said notches to release one type wheel at a time,

and means for locking the type wheels-to the frame, said means being progressively moved to lock each type wheel to the frame as it is released by the releasing mechanism.

5. The combination of a series of type bearing wheels capable of independent rotation relative to each other, whereby selected type on the various wheels ma be grouped in position for printing, a ever,

aceaeae ever type wheel whereby they. may e rotate in unison with the lever, means for releasing said engaging means from the type wheels, said means being carried by the lever and so shaped and disposed relative to the lever that both the lever and said means may be rasped in an operators one hand and the sai means operated independently of the lever, and means actuated upon a movement of said lever in one direction for withdrawing said engaging means from all of the type wheels to permit the free rotation of the type wheels.

6. The combination of a series of type bearin wheels capable of independent rotation re ative to each other, whereby selected type on the various wheels may be grouped in position for printing, a lever,means carried by the lever for engaging every type wheel, whereby they may be-rotated in unison with the lever, means for releasing said engaging means fromthe t pe wheels, and for simultaneousl locking'tl'i wheels to a fixed support, means actuated e released type upon a movement of aid lever in one direction for withdrawing said lo'cking means from all of the type wheels to permitthe free rotation of the type wheelsI'and'me-an's for returning all of the'typ'e w 'eelsto normal position after they have been released, said meansheing operated'by a movement of the shaped and disposed relative to the lever that both the lever and said means may be grasped in an'operators one hand and the said means operated independently of the lever. means actuated upon'a movement of said lever'in one direction fo'r withdrawing said engaging means from all of the ty e wheels to permit the free rotation of t e type wheels, and means for returning all of the type wheels to normal position after they have been released, said lattermeans being operated by a movement of the said lever in one direction.

' 8. The combination of a frame, a series of type bearing wheels in the frame, arranged side by side and capable of independent rotation. relative to each other, whereby selected type on the various wheels may be grouped in position for printing, a lever, a locking and releasing bar carried by the lenae ver, mean associated with at locking and releasing bar for looking a type wheel in the frame and releasing' it at the same time from the lever, said locking and releasing device being capable .of mevement successively from a type wheel on .one' side toward the type wheel onithe opposite side, means associated with and actuated upon a movement of said lever in one direction. for withdraw- :ingsaid locking means fro'mall of the type wheels to permit the free rotation of the type wheels, means for returning all of the type wheels to normal position after they have been released, said means being operated by a movement of the said lever in'one direction','and a stop device for limiting the movement of all of the type wheels when they I have reached 'normal'position. j-

9. The combination of a series of-type 1 wheels capable of. independent rotation rela- 'tive toeach other, a lever, means for operatively connecting the lever with any one of the type wheelsto rotate them one at a time,

' some of the type-wheels being provided with.

.similar type characters and 'others with. difa single row of characters for all of of parallel levers on each side, connecting the frame and the base for maintaining the type with theirprinting faces parallel with the platen atall times ithrou hout their movement, and aninking device or the ty e,.

carried by the same levers on opposite $1 I of their fulcrums to counter-balance weight and to'move the ink box toward and from I the type.

11'. The combination'of a base,a 4 laten on thebase, aframe, typeiwheels carr led by the frame, a pair of parallel levers on eac side of the frame, pivotally connected to the frame and to the base, a drive wheel, and a pitman connected to the drive wheel and to one of said parallel levers.

12. The combination of-a'base, a platen on the base, a frame, type wheels carried by the frame,"a air of parallel levers on each side of the ame, plvotally connected to the frame and to the base, adrive wheel, and a pitman connected to the drive. wheel I and to one of said parallel levers, said pitman being arranged so that it will pass a line drawn through it and through the center of the drive wheel when the type are in engagement with the platen and also when they are at their opposite limit of movement. I y I 13. {The combination of a I base, a platen on the base, typecapable of movement toward and from the platen, and poweroperated'means for moving the type, comprlslnga-clutch, a'combined stockholder and lever adjacent to'the platen, and means connected with the stockholder and lever for actuating the clutch to start theprinting movement of the type.

5 the base, typecapable of movement toward and from the platen, power-operated means combined stockholder and lever adjacent to the'platen, and means connected with the 1 stockholder and lever I for actuating the clutch to' start the printing movement of the ,type, and means for-automatically stop ing the printing. movement when the combmed "stockholder and lever is released. =f}- j15..The combination of a platen,- type cap'ablejof movement toward 'and from the platen, power-operated means for moving 14, The combination of a base, a platen on \for moving the type, comprising a vclutch, a I

the type, Including a drive. wheel for 0per.- I

the type, a shaft for the drive wheel, a plutch device associated with said shaft, power-operated means for constantly drivmg one of the clutch members, the other capable of'mov'ement toward and from its fellow, a combined stockholder and lever as sociated with the'platen, and means connected with said stockholder and lever for *operatively throwing the clutch into engagement, when the combined stockholder and lever is depressed, and for automatically 'throwin gteit ut and stopping the drive.

wheel a r a printing operation after the release of said stockholder and lever, said means comprising a trip lever to be engaged by the stockholder and lever, a clutch lever fulcrumed to the machine frame and connected with the trip' lever, and a cam on .the drive wheel to engage the trip lever, said parts being so arranged that when the trip clutchmember being keyed to the shaft and lever is. actuated it w1ll disengagethe powerfrom the drive wheel cam, and throw the clutch into engagement, and then move to position ,where it will be engaged by the drive wheel cam after a complete rotation thereof, and, also said parts being so arranged that when the trip lever is thus engaged by the drive wheel cam'it will move the clutch device out of engagement for stopping the printing operation.

16. The combination of a platen, a combined stockholder and handle having a slot therein to receive the platen, a type carrying frame capable of movement toward andfrom the platen, and presser arms carried thereby, designed to engage the'combined stockholder and handle and force it downwardly toward the platen during a printing operation.

l7.. The combination of a platen, a combined stockholder and handle hayinga slottoward theplaten during a printing operation, an inking roller'for the type, and means the inking roller toward posi for movin tion for i ing' the type, said presser arms being formed with notches to uide said inking roller'and to prevent itrom engaging anyof the adjacent-type to the one being printed from, for the purposes stated;

18. The combination of-a base, a yielding platen thereon, and stock guiding plates at the sides of the -platen,slidingly connected with the'baseand securedtothe endsof the yielding platen.

' 1 a nit combihationct a W, laten on the base, a type bearing frame cap hle of movement toward and from the platen, an

-inking device capable of movementtoward. I v device in- .cludingan-lnklng. rollerqcapab e of move ment'out of the lnking device into engageand fromfthe type, said inliin ment with thje ityp'e to be inked, and means for actuating-the type "toward and from printing position, said means including a pitman, atrip lever for actuating the inknng roller, and cooperating pins carried by the trip lever andthe said-pltman tor actuon the'pltman engages the pin on the trip ating the inking roller during that period ofithe. movement of the parts when thepi'n I as 

